Disclaimer: This is a personal journal documenting my thoughts on testing, design, life, personal and professional development. All writing is from my perspective bias and not representative of my employer or anyone else. If you'd like to chat about anything I've raised, feel free to email me.

2016 In Review

Jan 15, 2017

Last I wrote I was adventuring into food education. 2016 wasn't the greatest year for many reasons. We lost a lot of legends... Those that particularly moved me was the loss of David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Carrie Fisher. There was the conclusion of a highly charged American Election. And other things...

Unfortunately in June 2016 I had a triggering health event which saw me end up with daily chest pain. There was quite a few trips to the Emergency Department. A week long stay in the hospital. And many many tests later, we finally found something that didn't come back as "normal".

On December 15 I had Laparoscopic Partial Fundoplication surgery, which is the medical name for a procedure to prevent reflux of stomach acid up the esophagus. A month on and I'm recovering nicely. The surgery was a successful, and seems to have dealt with the main chest pain, which is fantastic.

This of course meant that my website took a back seat as I focused on my health, and I didn't get my illustration gallery updated as I'd intended.

Along the way, I finished my Elimination diet and discovered I don't tolerate foods with high fructose. This was wonderful progress as it has not only grown my understanding of what's in my food, but given me more control, so I can successfully manage my digestive health!

Overall, while 2016 was rocky, I had lots of support from friends and family, and I have higher hopes for 2017. I have also been able to expand my horizons, finding out what I'm really capable of under extreme circumstances.